Welcome to the 25th Annual Freshman Convocation! The University of Washington community welcomes the entering class of 2008. Our honored speaker is William H. Gates, III, chairman of Microsoft and co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the largest philanthropic foundation in the world. UW Regent William H. Gates, Sr., who is also a co-chair of the Foundation and earned his bachelor’s and law degrees at the UW (the School of Law's William H. Gates Hall is named in his honor) is also recognized and speaks. From the Series:2008 Freshman Convocation